Going to Charleston in a few weeks. Any good places to visit that are not typical tourist places? Also looking for restaurant advice.
This is a secondhand recommendation, but do you like tea?
My favorite soul-food restaurant in Charleston. You might have to wait in line a while to get in, but it is definitely worth it. Great food, low prices, friendly servers.
Don’t forget to thank me for the recommendation.
Seconding Jestine’s for really good food, but the question is somewhat confusing since Charleston IS a tourist destination. The things that make it a tourist draw are the ‘touristy’ places, the rest is where people live and work.
That said, the county parksare often very nice and have various festivals going on, check for the dates you’re going. Some are more frequented by locals than tourists, but obviously not the ones on the beach. If the beach is your thing, Isle of Palms in nearby Mt Pleasant is a nice one. It can be quite crowded, though, if the weather is nice. Coconut Joe’son the beach has pretty decent food and outstanding views, but you will pay a “location premium”. I suppose that’s true with any beachfront eatery, though. Sea Biscuit Caféis also really good, and a couple blocks off the beach.
There are tons of historic sites to tour, but I would call that ‘touristy’ as well.
You wouldn’t happen to be heading there for the bridge run would you?
Another great place to eat is Pearlz Oyster Bar. If you like oysters and beer they have both. Be sure to go during their happy hour, when you can get some really good deals. Oh, and it’s just a short walk from Jestine’s!
(I was in Charelston on business. I enjoyed the town so much, I actually blew off the business part of the trip.)
One of my favorite places around Charleston that I went to was The Audubon Swamp Gardens. It’s pretty much what it sounds like, a series of trails through swamps. We saw alligators, birds, lizards, and a lot of snakes, including one that might’ve been a moccasin real close to the trail, and a lovely bluebird house with an adorable little snake slithering out of the entrance.
I have no idea if this sort of thing is up your alley–but if you like easy nature walks, this one’s a doozy.
One of my favorite places is The Wreck. It’s a pretty bare bones restaurant, but some of the best seafood. Don’t let the fact that it looks like a filling station that’s been abandoned for 20 years fool you.
Madra Rua Irish Pub!
Great food with a really fun atmosphere
Thirding Jestine’s! Worth any wait (though I haven’t had to when I’ve gone) and parking headache. If you have a car, find Andolini’s Pizza - it’s a Charleston institution, for good reason.
Seconding Madra Rua as well.
For a sight to see, head out to the Angel Oak; but first eat at Ravenel Fresh Seafood (a market that has a cafe in it). It’s Gullah cuisine which is getting harder to find as the Charleston area gets more gentrified.
Drive out to nearby Edisto Island. It will give you a taste of what the Lowcountry was like decades ago. If you are a history person, read up on it ahead of time and visit the Presbyterian Church and the adjacent cemetery and see if you can catch a house tour. If you don;t go for the history, the nature is lovely and scenic as well, and the beach there is not very developed, either. It’s at least a nice day trip.
thanks for advice so far. Not going for bridge run
I checked Roadside America for things to see in the area and the first thing that grabbed me was the HL Hunley. I was fascinated by a historical TV show about the Hunley when I was about 10 years old–it would be on the top of my list if I was visiting Charleston.